You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Not connecting to Epson 5100 printer

I get this message when trying to connect to my printer:

Unable to connect to ‘EPSON XP-5100 Series._ipps._tcp.local.’ due to an error. Would you still like to create the printer?


Any ideas? Tried everything I've read online ...


Posted on May 16, 2022 4:25 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 17, 2022 5:25 AM

Thank you for the update.


A printed network status sheet (using the printer's control panel) can be useful, and may be one way of finding out whether a network is working properly. If necessary, you could try a new manual Wi-Fi setup (perhaps using WPS, if applicable). Use Wi-Fi Infrastructure Mode (not Wi-Fi Direct Mode). See the user's guide (https://files.support.epson.com/docid/cpd5/cpd54987.pdf) page 40ff.


The specifications for the XP-5100 indicate that this printer model uses 2.4 GHz wireless only, so make sure that the connection to the router is OK. Some routers have a "smart" way of detecting devices and selecting bands, but this can also lead to problems in certain cases.


In case of difficulties with AirPrint, and if all settings are OK, you may want to try the following procedure:

Power off the Wi-Fi router, the printer, the Mac computer, and all other devices/computers. Wait two to three minutes. Power on the router. Wait two to three minutes. Power on the printer. Wait a minute or two. Power on the Mac computer. Finally, power on all other devices/computers.


With access to an iPhone or iPad, you could verify that AirPrint is working with the printer and the router.

Use AirPrint to print from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 17, 2022 5:25 AM in response to debeurre123

Thank you for the update.


A printed network status sheet (using the printer's control panel) can be useful, and may be one way of finding out whether a network is working properly. If necessary, you could try a new manual Wi-Fi setup (perhaps using WPS, if applicable). Use Wi-Fi Infrastructure Mode (not Wi-Fi Direct Mode). See the user's guide (https://files.support.epson.com/docid/cpd5/cpd54987.pdf) page 40ff.


The specifications for the XP-5100 indicate that this printer model uses 2.4 GHz wireless only, so make sure that the connection to the router is OK. Some routers have a "smart" way of detecting devices and selecting bands, but this can also lead to problems in certain cases.


In case of difficulties with AirPrint, and if all settings are OK, you may want to try the following procedure:

Power off the Wi-Fi router, the printer, the Mac computer, and all other devices/computers. Wait two to three minutes. Power on the router. Wait two to three minutes. Power on the printer. Wait a minute or two. Power on the Mac computer. Finally, power on all other devices/computers.


With access to an iPhone or iPad, you could verify that AirPrint is working with the printer and the router.

Use AirPrint to print from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

May 16, 2022 2:34 PM in response to debeurre123

Hi,


You do not say how the printer is connected, nor which operating system version is used on the computer.


An Epson XP-5100 is listed in About AirPrint - Apple Support as a model supporting the driverless AirPrint technology. This means that it ought to be possible to to use the model in question without having to install drivers, provided that the printer and the computer are connected to the same network (Wi-Fi router). An AirPrint-enabled printer is compatible with macOS.


See also pp 34 and 65 in https://files.support.epson.com/docid/cpd5/cpd54987.pdf


Add a printer to your printer list so you can use it on Mac – Apple Support (UK)

Reset the printing system on your Mac to solve a problem – Apple Support (UK)


A USB connection would require drivers.


https://epson.com/For-Home/Printers/Inkjet/Expression-Home-XP-5100-Small-in-One-Printer/p/C11CG29201

https://www.epson.eu/en_EU/support/sc/epson-expression-home-xp-5100/s/s1636?selected-tab=&selected-os=macOS+12+%28Monterey%29&selected-lang=en

(please note that different drivers may be offered in different regions)

May 16, 2022 5:44 AM in response to debeurre123

It's telling you there is a need to recreate the printer. Before you can use a printer, you have to tell the Mac it's there. Sometimes, it's necessary to remove a printer and add it back to get it to function.


System Preferences > Printers & Scanners > The "+" to add/create a printer. If the printer is already there, use the "-" to remove it and then do the "+" procedure.


If the printer doesn't work after adding it, you likely need to visit the Epson website to get the proper drivers for your OS.

May 17, 2022 12:53 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

My printer is connecter wirelessly. Both the MAC and the printer are on the same WIFI and router. My operating system is macOS Monterey. I tried to connect the printer before updating the operating system. After I updated the operating system to Monterey, I tried to connect again to the printer.


After having read everything and working on this issue with no answer yet, it seems that there is an error happening between my MAC and printer at the level of the wireless connection. I will keep trying to figure out what is happening.


Where I have the biggest issue is that the explanations given by my MAC is not accurate or thorough. Saying "Cannot connect to the printer at this time" does not help the user. I google all of the error messages that I got with no assistance. This has been the most frustrating part of trying to troubleshoot this issue.

Not connecting to Epson 5100 printer

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.